Bittersweet
by OutThereOtaku
Summary: Melia considers her feelings for the heir to the Monado. Xenoblade Chronicles short heart-to-heart


Bittersweet

Xenoblade Chronicles short Heart-To-Heart

Some ShulkXMelia- Mostly Friendship

Mention of Seven/you-know-who

Some Mid-game spoilers [After Prison Island area] Not major

Told from Melia's POV

XXX

Gaur plane should have looked serene in the light rainfall. The faint breeze was echoing off the cave walls in a pleasant tone. It reminded me of the little humming fruit that Riki had given me. It seemed an odd gift, but the heropon looked entirely too pleased with himself for me to keep a smile off of my face. The soft sound of water pinging against the stone walls outside could only be calming. The cavern we made camp in was luckily dry, considering it was not a terribly heavy rain. For some odd reason it still filled me with concern. I simply couldn't keep myself still. I went from sitting on the ground beside the fire, where Riki was cooking a small fish, to move to stand by the entrance. I let a long sigh escape my lips. I continued watching the rain, counting the drops that hit the floor nearest to me.

"Melia, how long are you going to worry about them?" Sharla voiced calmly from her place beside the little nopon. I whipped back to give her a faint smile. Sharla was far more perceptive than I gave her credit. I hadn't known Shulk and his friends for very long, but I already felt as though I were becoming a part of their group. After the incident in Alcamoth, I was more than willing to go around with them on a couple of errands. Normally we went in teams, so Shulk, Reyn and Dunban had headed off to take down some monsters nearby. That left Sharla, Riki, and me to wait around for their return. I don't mind a break, but not doing anything always makes me a tad anxious.

"I'm not worried. After all, I am well aware they can handle themselves. I only wonder what is taking them so long."

"Thats true. It has been a few hours already... I hope they get back before dark." Sharla said calmly. Her words did nothing to reassure me. She may not have been showing it, but I could tell it was worrying her as well as I. Even the heropon had lost his normal bounce at the moment.

"Sharla! Melia!" It had to be Reyn's voice, shouting from a distance. Reyn did have a way of breaking silence, but this time he sounded far too serious. Sharla appeared beside me in the opening. I could clearly see Reyn and Dunban running up the hill towards us. My eyes widened considerably when I noticed that Reyn was carrying an unconscious Shulk in his arms. Finally they made it up the hill and into the cave, soaking wet.

"What happen to Shulk!?"Riki popped up from the fireside, as Reyn carefully set Shulk down against the wall. His blonde hair was sticking to his skin from the rainfall. Had he been awake, his sweater would likely be uncomfortable and heavy with water. He looked pale. Shulk wasn't an athlete by any means, but he had gotten some color from running around in the sun so much. Now it seemed he had lost all of it, becoming ghostlike.

"Dunno. He just up and passed out. Sharla... can you tell whats wrong with him?" Sharla eased Reyn out of the way, first checking the seer's pulse and laying the flat of her palm against his forehead. It didn't take her long before she turned towards us with a verdict.

"He has a fever. An incredibly high one by the look of it. You three running around in the rain all day likely didn't help."

"What? Thats all? Hes just sick? But he passed out like it was something serious." Reyn rubbed the back of his head when Sharla offered him a glare. It looked like he wanted to say something else, or apologize, but Dunban piped up before he could.

"It would seem that Shulk was pushing himself too hard. He likely didn't want us to worry, so avoided telling us." I had to avert my gaze as they got Shulk into a pair of dry clothes. Sharla dug through some of her medical equipment. I felt completely useless, just standing there as they helped him. Even Riki busied himself with making a leafy place for Shulk to lie down. Their teamwork was baffling to me. All my life, I had done things alone. I never had any help. The friends that I had came and went, mostly due to my mixed heritage as a half-homs. I had to get used to working with a team again. The last time I had done so, I had lost good friends of mine. I was so afraid the same would happen again if I was not careful. I pulled myself out of that kind of thinking. Finally everyone had finished their administrations. Shulk looked much drier, in a new sweater and vest. He was lying on a pile of fluffy looking leaves, that had to be the heropon's doing. It looked like no one wanted to bring up the obvious, until Dunban finally spoke up.

"We were in the middle of assisting some nopon when Shulk fell," Dunban held his hand to his chin in thought, looking down at the seer of the group.

"Yeah, we have to get back an help em. Looks like Shulk'll need to sit this one out." Reyn interjected. The look of concern on his face spoke volumes of his devotion to his friend. He really didn't want to leave him either.

"You'll be needing someone to tag along with you then. I'll join you." Sharla offered. It seemed to surprise everyone just as much as me.

"But Sharla... what if Shulk should take ill again? Perhaps it is I who should..." I tried, only for her to cut me off with a smile.

"Don't be silly, Melia. You can watch him until we get back." She winked at me, gathering up her rifle. Ah, so that was it. In Alcamoth, Sharla had caught on to my feelings for Shulk. Be it to torture me or otherwise, it seemed she wanted to play matchmaker. I knew arguing was pointless, where Sharla was concerned.

"Heropon Riki will watch Melly and Shulk. No worry friends!" Riki said triumphantly, doing a small nopon dance. It made me smile. The others nodded in agreement, heading out at last. I breathed a heavy sigh, turning back to look at Shulk. He was still sleeping, a tad uncomfortably in the leaves. His face didn't exactly look peaceful, so he must have till been feeling sick. When I looked away again, I found that Riki was staring at me.

"No worry, Melly! When littlepon get sick, Riki get them honey rhubarb!"

"That is sweet of you, Riki. But that won't do Shulk any good, I'm afraid. We can only find that kind of plant in Makna."

"Ah, Riki know! There replacement fruit on Bionis's Leg. Big red and juicy fruit! Good for sickness, says Sharla. Leave it to heropon!"

"Wait... you're not going out to look for it, are you?"

"Right!"

"Riki, you really shouldn't run run in the rain. Sure enough, you'll catch a cold too."

"Nopon do not mind rain. Heropon Riki will get pretty red fruit for Shulk, and come right back to Melly!"

"Wait, Riki!" I was suddenly terrified of being alone with Shulk. So long as everyone was around, I could ignore my feelings. If it was just Shulk and I, there would be no stopping my racing thoughts. Completely ignoring of my pleading, Riki had already grabbed his biter and headed out of our makeshift camp. I could practically hear my heartbeat, growing louder.

I didn't know what to do. How could I take care of Shulk? I'm starting to feel that I should have went to fight, and left it to Sharla. Wouldn't that have been more logical? I willed myself to quite pacing, and sat down beside Shulk. Uncomfortable. That word kept coming back to me. His cheeks were red. There were dark circles under his eyes. I didn't recall ever seeing him so weak, and it scared me. I swallowed a breath I didn't realized I had been holding in. It was tempting to reach out to move the blonde hair from over his eyes. I barked at myself internally for thinking such a ridiculous thing. In the end, I compromised with myself. He was asleep and wouldn't remember right? Hesitantly I lifted my hand, delicately over his forehead.

"Melia?" The sudden voiced caused me to jump slightly. I hadn't realized that his startlingly blue eyes had opened, already turned up to look at me. I pulled my hand back quickly, as if I could pretend I hadn't ever put it there.

"Shulk... how are you feeling?" I asked him, trying to will away the bright red that my own face was turning.

"I... I'm fine. Did... did the others bring me back here?" He asked. It bothered me that he looked ashamed about it. I quirked an eyebrow, watching his expression fall somewhere between being truthful and dishonest to make sure I didn't worry. Little did he know, something like that would only worry me more. I had a lot of experience with those kind of lies.

"They did. You know... Its okay to admit it if you're not feeling well, Shulk. That way we can help you." I said calmly. It was a tad hypocritical of me. I knew exactly why he would keep something like that secret. I did the same thing.

"R-right... you're probably right, Melia. I wasn't going to mention that I haven't been feeling well... everyone is counting on me to lead us. I hoped I could ignore it." He coughed quietly.

"Someone as smart as you ought to know, you can't just ignore something like that. Even you need a break now and again." Even as I said this, I couldn't look at him. I assumed he would call me a hypocrite, but it never came. Instead he looked at me with those bright blue eyes and offered me a smile. I would almost rather be insulted than see such heartwarming thing. It made things so much harder. It would be so difficult for me to let go of all the feelings I had for him. I couldn't speak, caught prisoner by his kind gaze. It was Shulk that spoke again, breaking the quiet of soft rain hitting the caverns roof.

"I guess it will be a while before the others get back huh." Shulk moved to sit up, but stopped halfway through as if it were quite difficult for him.

"Perhaps. You really ought to rest until then."

"Yeah... maybe for a little while."

"Good. Riki will be back soon with some kind of fruit for you... and I'm sure Sharla will be able to help as well." I felt helpless right then. I was unable to do much for him. How could I ever repay him for all that he had given me?

"Thank you, Melia... I'm really... glad." Shulk smiled, even as his eyes fell closed. He nearly collapsed, laying his head on my lap. I felt my heart skip, and I froze in place. My face had the be the color of a fire apple by now. It did leave me to wonder what he could have meant by he 'was glad.' Glad about what? What I had said? Meeting me? My comforting him? I probably wouldn't ask, and he would likely forget by the time he woke up anyhow. I knew anything concerning Shulk would only be bittersweet for me. He would find his Fiora soon. It was plain to see that he cared for her deeply. I wasn't about to get in the way of that. As long as he was happy, that is all that mattered. For now I would take the small victory of comforting him in this state. If it would help him, even at all, I would let things stay as they were. I don't know how long I sat there, listening to his gentle breathing. One thing that was for sure, that smile never left his face completely. It brought a mixed feeling of warmth to my heart. I may never get over the boy at this rate. But... Bittersweet, I decided, was so much better than nothing at all.

XXX


End file.
